The Maharashtra wing of the All India Professional Congress (AIPC) has organized an AIPC interactive that will feature Retired Supreme Court Justice Chelameswar in conversation with Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha on the 2nd of November on the issue of dissent and democracy.
Join us for #AIPCInteractive with Justice J. Chelameswar (Retired SC judge) on dissent & democracy in current era !!
Event moderated by @JhaSanjay !!@ProfCong @ShashiTharoor @SalmanSoz @milinddeora @AIPCMaha @vijayrpandey pic.twitter.com/QL6uPTaxUd— AIPCMumbaiWest (@AIPCMumbaiWest) October 19, 2018
In January earlier this year, Justice Chelameswar along with 3 other judges of the Supreme Court had written a letter to the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and had held a press conference to communicate “their failed efforts” to convince the CJI to protect the institution.
The letter appeared to say that the established principle that the CJI is merely the first among equals and not a “superior authority”, has not been adhered to by the current CJI. The letter also indicates that judges should not “arrogate” i.e. claim unfairly, the authority to deal with cases, which ought to be handled by others. The letter also makes reference to the opaqueness of the current collegium system.
The unprecedented press conference had created a political storm leading various legal luminaries to slam the move. Justice Chelameswar had also met with CPI MP D Raja drawing interesting reactions from people across the political spectrum.
Not too long ago, Justice Chelameswar was embroiled in a head-on clash with the then CJI Dipak Misra after a 5 judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court (which consisted of the CJI himself) overturned Justice Chelameswar headed bench’s order in the Orissa HC judge bribery case.
